Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-12-29
ROCHESTER REUSED.

IA Terrific Series OF Explosions, Accom-.
panied by Loss of Life and Disastrous
/ CONGREGATIONS at Rochester, n. y
/ Leaking Naphtlia From Pipe Line Re-
sponsiblc.
| ROCHESTER, N. Y. Dec. 22.-Just before
half-past three o'clock yesterday after
noon an explosion of gas took place at the
Jefferson & Clinton mills on Mill sire ct in
/ this city, and they were speedily envel-
oped in flames. The fire department was
summoned and soon after general al arm
! was turned in. Before the department
| had reached the station at the corner of
Mill and Platt streets, the entire city was
alarmed and shaken by a number of ex-
| plosions. Immediately following huge
| clouds of smoke arose from half dozen
| points on Mill and Platt streets, and flames
| burst from the windows of the Clinton
| mill just north of the Woodbury. engine
company's building on Mill street. The
| flames soon spread to the Washington
mill which adjoins the Clinton, and before
anything could be done to prevent the
| spread of the flames the rear of Whitney
o. Wilson's mill was also in flames. While
the firemen were laying line of hose to
the burning buildings, half a dozen man
holes which had been covered with ice
and snow, blew up in Mill street.
Thousands of people had been attracted
by the explosions, and as they pushed
through State and Platt streets to the
fire they were brought to halt by other
explosions in Plat and State streets and
thrown into confusion. They fled in
every direction. but wherever they went
they met with repetition of the same
scenes. The explosions continued at such
frequent intervals that there was no tell
ing where the horrors would cease. The
sidewalk of the old furnace on Platt
street between State and Mill was blown
up, but fortunately no one was injured.
The building was Immediately fred, how
ever, and flames issued from half dozen
holes in State street where the street
pavem ent had been blown up.
By half-past six O'Clock the fire was
pr actically under control as far as the
were sending up columns of flame at
frequent intervals. Explosions took pl ace
in the cellars of all buildings on Mill
street. In Congress Hall cellar one man
was hurt. All along the other streets adj
jacent to Mill, explosions took place.
Shortly after four O'Clock an explosion
occurred near new sewer which is being
dug on Atkinson street. Two workmen
were thrown violently to the ground and
one was severely bruised. Slight ex-
plosions are reported to have occurred on
also an explosion in West Avenue in front
of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh
depot. The paving stones were thrown
high in the air. Many windows in resi-.
denceS near the scene of the explos ions
were broken.
Inquiry at the office of the Municipal
Gas Company developed the cause of the
explosion. "Severai years ago." it was
stated, 'tthe Vacuum Oil Company ran a
L g
cipal Gas Company in order to supply it
with naphtha. This pipe line runs along
the bed of the Genessee Valley Canal
three or four feet under ground. At At
kinson street the con tractors were blast
ing, carelessly, undoubtedly, and in
this way the pipe was broken.
The naphtha ran down into
the outlet sewer through Canal
street into PIatt, and from there into Mill
street, where it has cause d this trouble.
presume twelve or fifteen thousand gal
Ians of naphtha have got into the sewers.
We were informed that our gas was leak
ing. This was the first heard of the
escape. This thing teaches that contract
ors should be more careful in blasting un-
der pipes. The supply Of the naphtha was
cut OFF Immediately by the Vacuum Oil
Company, and the gas was at once cut of
from our pipes.
Some almost miraculous escapes are re-
ported The engineer of the Clinton mill
and two companions were standing near
the front of the mill when the explosion
occurred about twenty feet away. All
three men were much frightened, but
were sufficiently collected to gather up
their clothes and escape.
When the firemen arrived the flames
had obtained such a foothold that it
was utterly impossible to save the Clinton
mill. The next building was the Jeffer-
son mill, and to this the fremen turned
their attention. The flames had obtained
a firm foothold, however, and soon tiny
streaks of fire were seen darting through
the windows sse.
About this time the front wall OF the
Clinton mill fell over with loud crash,
narrowly missing buryine numbers of
the firemen and spectators beneath it.
Shortly after this another gas explosion
occurred from the sewer main in front of
the mill, throwing one man ten or twelve
feet, and scratching his face severely.
The losses so far as can be ascertained
on the burned flour mills are as follows:
]. A. Kinds, Washington mill, loss SD, 900:
insurance $50, 900. Davis & Son, Shawmut
m ill, loss $3O, 900; insurance $4,000. Clin-
ton or Pool mill, loss $4,000; ms urance
unknown. Wells & Co., tool makers. ST.
O0O;: insurance $500. The destruction of
the mills, it is feared, is but a small item,
comparatively, as the entire sewerage
system of the city is believed to have
been affected, and that section of it con-
nected with the Municipal Gas Company's
and the Vacuum Oil Company's works al
most completely destroyed.
The list of casualties is long one, but
only two deaths had been reported up to
eleven O'Clock last night, viz: Frederick
Wilson, head miller of the Whitney mill,
aged thirty years, leaving wife and two
children, and Edward A. Webster, who
died in the city hospital. 1t was believed
that Miss Alice Poole, who was in her
fathers office when the explosion oc-
Cured, was killed but she turned up
slightly injured.
The injured are:
Louis Harpt, Jefferson mill, burned
about the face and hands and inhaled
gas; recovery doubtful.
Aaron Harrison, right leg broken by
jumping into the river from the third
story of building; also internally IN
jured.
Will Ritchey, driver for the Clinton
mill left ankle broken and calf of leg torn
open.
William Q. Wallace, Jefferson mill,
badly burned about head, face and hands.
-<o-R-
Pleading for Pardon.
HARRISBURG. Pa, Dec. 2L-In the APP
plication for a pardon of Milton Weston,
| the Chicago millionaire murderer, who is
in the Western penitentiarv on a FIVE